Salmon River

8 days $4,950

Perhaps the greatest fishing river in Alaska!

We first ran this river over 30 years ago. It can change it’s course from year to year. Some camps disappear and new gravel bars form new camps. It’s a very active river. It flows through a wide flood plane. The middle river goes 6 to 8 miles an hour. This can knock knock down a lot of trees. There is no shortage of firewood on this river. It’s not a beginners river.

The Salmon River is one of the best remote fishing rivers we have ever seen. Plus it’s got lots of wildlife. We’ve seen more wolves on this river than any other river in Alaska. That’s a sign of a true wilderness river. It has some interesting birds too. It’s King run is one of the best in all the state. We had one client catch and released 37 in a day! He was 21 at the time. The next day he could barely lift his arms.

Like to see what it’s like during early August on the Salmon River? Check out these fantastic photos by one of our past clients on their annual family trip with Ouzel Expeditions. It’s by Colin Gift a professional photographer. Al turns 80 on the river with his whole family. Be sure to click on Slide Show button in the upper right hand corner. You can advance the pictures by clicking on them! It’s a great look at the whole week. No holds barred.

The upper portion of the Salmon begins high in the treeless, lichen covered Kilbuk Mountains. It flows swiftly through canyons and tall forests of spruce and cottonwood. It offers hiking high above camp for excellent views. Look for caribou, moose, bears, wolves, and the highest concentration of wolverines in the state.

The Salmon River provides great grayling, arctic char, and rainbow fishing. It has very strong runs of King, Silver, Chum and Sockeye. Pink Salmon are few. We’ve caught Rainbows to 29 inches here. The average size of the Rainbows here is excellent, bigger than most any river in the state.

The lower portion of the river flows through braided river channels with perfect back eddies for king and silver fishing. Lots of cover provides an excellent environment for some of the biggest rainbows in western Alaska. Campsites have a never-ending supply of drift wood for campfires that give clients that rugged camping experience. We camp at locations with great fishing holes and beautiful scenery on the Salmon River.

We float 80 miles in 8 days. This give us plenty of time to stop and wade fish. At trips end, we have a jet boat take us back to town to catch the jet back to Anchorage. The fishing is hot the entire float.

Here’s Jeff Allred holding up a nice King Salmon many years ago. Notice the neoprene waders.

“I Just returned from the Salmon River trip and just wanted to say it was one of the best weeks of my life. I want to thank the guides. They put us on fish, were exemplary in their regard of the environment, and were just plain good company. Everything was first rate. Your crew did an outstanding job. I would not hesitate to go with you again. Thanks again, I never caught as many fish, and as many big fish as I did with you in Alaska.” Chuck McGill Stratford, Wisconsin